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DECEMBER, 1999.) THE SETTLEMENTS IN THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS.
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the country of the infidels, of course the injury and malice of that tribe of infidels reached in a greater degree the capital, Ahmadnagar and all the territory of that place ; until the time of Shah Husain Nigim Shah who extinguished by the sword the sparks of the sedition and annoyances caused by the cursed infidels, as will hereafter, please God! be related in detail in these pages.
End of the Bahmani Dynasty.
(To be continued.)
- MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SETTLEMENTS IN THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS IN THE XVIIITH CENTURY
Preface by B. C. Temple. The papers I am now able to publish through the courtesy of the authorities of the India Office have a two-fold interest. In the first place they throw light on the earliest and unsuccessful attempts to settle the Andaman Islands, the site of the great Penal Settlement of the Government of India at the present day, by the celebrated marine surveyor, Archibald Blair. In the next place they give us part of the story direct from Blair himself. . I now propose to print the papers as they stand and to supplement them with notes by myself and Mr. E. H. Man, C. I. E., by way of postscript. The papers consist of - (1) A letter from Arohibald Blair to the Governor-General, dated 19th April, 1789,
from the Andamans. (2) A letter from Archibald Blair from the Andamans, dated 26th December,
1789, to his brother, Prof. Robert Blair of Edinburgh, and forwarded by him to Henry Dundas, afterwards Viscount Melville, and by the latter to w. W. Gren
ville, afterwards Lord Grenville of the Ministry of " All the Talents." (3) A Report by Mr. Patrick Stone on the present Port Cornwallis, dated oth
June, 1701. - (4) An abstract of Major Kyd's Report, dated 4th March, 1796, comparing the
present Port Cornwallis at the Andamans and Prince of Wales' Island, i.e.
Penang, as sites for Convict Settlements. (5) Memorandum on the Andaman Settlements, dated 7th January, 1802.
No. I. Captain Blair to the Right Hon'ble Charles Earl Cornwallis, K. G.,
Governor General etc., in Council; dated 19th April, 1789. MY LORD, -Though there is no immediate Conveyance to Bengal, nor a probability of this reaching Calcutta before the arrival of the Elizabeth and Viper ; but as there is a possibility of accidents to one or both Vessels, I consider it my duty to leave this Account of my Progress, with the accompanying sketch of the Sarvey, to be forwarded by Mr. Light.
We made the land near Port Andaman December 27th when the Viper unfortunately sprung her main mast, this made it necessary to put in, to repair the damage ; and while the Artificers were employed I had the opportunity of surveying that excellent Harbour. It's situation being on the west side of the great Andaman, consequently rather difficult of access in the S. W. Monsoon is the only reason against it's being considered as an Harbour of great importance. It is well supplied with fresh water which is noticed in the Chart, and Nature has made it capable of being well defended, from the Eminence on Interview Island; from
